THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
By H. F. PHELPS
WHEN Christ ascended up on high, he "gave gifts unto men." Eph. 4:8. And what were these gifts? The answer is also at hand, for verse 11 reads: "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers." Therefore, it is a fact that at the ascension of Christ the gifts of the Holy Spirit were given to his church. Christ had made choice of the twelve apostles; but now he gives "apostles." Prophets had lived, and as a legacy they left the God-breathed words as an inheritance to the church. But even this was not enough. Christ now makes a gift to his church in addition to "apostles," and that gift was "prophets." And not only does he now mention that which had been in the church before, but as now being given in an especial manner, while he also gives "evangelists," "pastors and teachers." Evidently because they were needed in the church. But we are not left in doubt; for he has given the answer to our query. Listen! "For the perfecting of the saints." Verse 12. Then the saints were not yet perfected, and they needed all these gifts in order to come to the perfect state. Nor is the church yet perfected; and so the need of these gifts is just as great as ever, and even more so as the perils of the last days increase. Did the church at that time need evangelists, and pastors, and teachers? They also needed prophets as well. And does the church need evangelists, and pastors, and teachers now? So also does she need prophets as well. Nor is this the only object of these gifts, tho this of itself would be enough. But notice! They were "for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." Did the ministry at that time have need of these gifts, the gift of prophecy as well as that of apostles and evangelists? The church has need of these more to-day than ever before. Are the church and the ministry of to-day so complete that there is no need of these gifts of the Holy Spirit, gifts of Jesus Christ? The world has its same alurements; Satan has his same temptations, to which is added the fact that he has come down with "great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Human nature is the same deceitful nature as ever; and if ever these gifts were needed in the church, they are the more needed to-day. Are the ministry and the church so fully equipped for the closing work of the Gospel that there is no need of the gifts of the loving Saviour? The language of many is, "Rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;" while Christ says, "Wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Knowing the need of a church in the midst of a perishing world, Christ gave these gifts to that church, and no man can put them out of his church. But Are These Gifts Enduring?
Again the answer is forthcoming: He gave gifts unto men "till we all come in the unity of the faith." There is but one faith. Eph. 4:5, 13. That faith is "the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12. Then it is a fact that we need as much as ever, teachers, and pastors, and evangelists; and shall we here cut the list in twain, and say that we do need these last, but do not need apostles and prophets? Who has received authority from heaven thus to do? Let them show their credentials. The apostleship was not confined to the twelve that were chosen of Christ. Matthias was chosen as an apostle. Paul was chosen as the great apostle to the Gentile nations. Barnabas and Epaphroditus were apostles. An apostle is one chosen of God and sent on a mission. Who will say that Martin Luther was not the apostle of the Reformation? Or who will say that the Wesleys were not apostles of the truth of sanctification through faith in our Lord? Was not William Miller the apostle of the great reformation concerning the soon coming of the Lord which so greatly stirred the religious world in 1844? And Joseph Bates and James White were the apostles of the Sabbath reformation that is now going to the world, which is the fulfilment of Rev. 14:6-12. Another thing must not be overlooked in this connection: The church needed the gift of apostles and prophets just in proportion as there was a need of evangelists and pastors and teachers. Has any one the authority to take the gift of apostles and that of prophets out of the church, and relegate them to the former dispensation, closing with the days of the apostles of the Lord? If any are inclined to think thus, let such remember that there were prophets in Paul's day (see Acts 11:27, 28); and that Peter and Cornelius each saw visions (Acts 10:3, 19.) It is well also to remember that Paul, in writing to the Thessalonian church in the year A.D. 54, gave counsel upon this very gift of prophecy. "Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying." 1 Thess. 5:19, 20. This epistle was not addressed to that church alone, but to the last church on earth as well. In regard to the second coming of Christ he says: "That we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep." "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them." Chapter 4:15, 17. Thus it is that in the verses before quoted he tells the church of the last days that they should not despise prophesying. Now prophesying is expressive of present time—a work now being performed. Prophesying will therefore be a characteristic of the true church in the last days, because it was given to the church by the divine Builder of the church, and placed there "till we all come in the unity of the faith." Therefore, as the gift of prophecy will be a gift in active operation, the injunction is, "Despise not prophesying." And these admonitions are so closely connected that it is utterly impossible, without doing violence to the language, to separate them. "Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying." To despise prophesying would be to quench the Spirit of God, because the Holy Spirit is the agency in the manifestation of the gift of prophecy. In despising prophecy, one would thus cut himself off from the influence of that Spirit. Therefore, let us beware, lest we should sever the divine cord that binds to the throne of God through the gifts of the Spirit of God. H. F. PHELPS.